The 2012 football season marks the beginning of the new Pac-12 conference with the addition of two new member schools in Colorado and Utah.

The Obvious: The No. 25 USC Trojans won't have to wait long before heading into Pac-12 play with a second-game South Division showdown with the Utah Utes in the storied Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 10.The Not So Obvious: While the Trojans, of course, aren't eligible to participate in the first-ever Pac-12 title game, it doesn't mean the outcomes of all the conference games won't have an impact on Troy's final placement in the South Division. With that in mind, we present some perspective on Commissioner Larry Scott's newfangled creation, starting with the South Division and then moving through the North Division.

The Obvious: The new Pac-12 South Division is Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC and Utah.The Not So Obvious: Trojan Insider: Some pundits argue that the frontrunners in the South Division are either ASU or Utah. The interesting schedule quirk is the Trojans play both Utah and ASU in their first two conference games in September. Given the preseason analysis, it's possible the South Division race could end very early, given the fact Utah plays neither Oregon nor Stanford while ASU plays at Utah (Oct. 8) but not Stanford. Confused? Let's just say the boys from Salt Lake City hit the first-year scheduling jackpot. Now let's take a look at the South Division.